The present invention generally relates to keyboards for entering data into text and office systems such as computers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a keyboard having an improved lateral input region for increasing the efficiency of consumption and composition of information used in computer activities.
People use computers for many different activities. Many activities commonly performed by computer users may be considered as xe2x80x9cconsumptionxe2x80x9d activities. Other activities commonly performed by computer users may be considered as xe2x80x9ccompositionxe2x80x9d activities. Consumption activities are activities where the user typically reads, listens to, searches for, locates, and/or xe2x80x9cgathersxe2x80x9d information from one or more sources. For example, consumption activities include browsing the Internet, or otherwise viewing information on screen, such as viewing spreadsheets or reading e-mail, reports, documents, or other text and images. Consumption activities are commonly performed when the user is browsing or searching web pages and databases. When performing these activities, it is common to use xe2x80x9cBackxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cForwardxe2x80x9d commands, scroll within an open document, and/or switch between open applications for multi-tasking or for referencing or sharing information between different documents. However, existing keyboards have not maximized a user""s ability to perform these consumption activities.
Composition activities are activities performed by computer users when editing, creating, and/or composing text, web pages, spreadsheets, video or audio data, or other forms of data that can be presented on computer display. During these activities, it is common to highlight and edit various data portions, switch between multiple documents and applications, and/or scroll within existing documents. It is also common to take pieces of information or data from one document and put them into another documentxe2x80x94either of the same document type or a different document type. Similarly, existing keyboards have not maximized a user""s ability to perform these composition activities.
Additionally, to perform consumption and composition activities, a user commonly uses a keyboard in conjunction with a separate pointing device such as a computer mouse. However, there has been little improvement to existing keyboards for increasing the combined efficiency of a keyboard and a separate pointing device. For example, many keyboards are designed in a manner that requires the user to change hand positions frequently between the keyboard and the separate pointing device to perform many common tasks. This, in turn, results in increased distractions and reduced focus when performing various consumption and composition activities.
Further, interactions between keyboards and separate pointing devices for performing many computer tasks commonly place much of the burden on the dominant hand, typically the right hand, that traditionally controls the mouse or other pointing device. This can overburden the dominant hand to an extent that prevents the maximization of efficiency. Further, many existing short commands are performed by reaching for and engaging the separate pointing device (e.g., to xe2x80x9ccopyxe2x80x9d a selected item). However, the step of reaching and engaging the separate pointing device reduces efficiency if the activities just prior to and just following engaging the pointing device are typing on the keyboardxe2x80x94as can commonly be the case.
Additionally, when using a computer, users will commonly switch between open applications or xe2x80x9cwindowxe2x80x9d. An open application or window is an active program and/or open file. To perform this task, users commonly reach for a mouse or another separate pointing device, move the cursor to a desired location positioned over a graphical user interface, such as an icon on a task bar, and click on a graphical user interface corresponding to a desired open application. At least one operating system, MICROSOFT(copyright) WINDOWS(copyright), provides a keyboard shortcut whereby pressing the Alt key and the Tab key in combination (with the Alt key being pressed first) can effect switching between open applications. However, many users are not aware that this shortcut exists, and its use also has drawbacks, as it requires a two-step sequential operation to activate and an awkward position in the left hand.
Accordingly, a keyboard enabling a user to more efficiently perform consumption and composition based activities and switch between open applications, and reduce unnecessary actions for commonly performed tasks was thus needed.
It is an aspect of the present invention to provide an improved keyboard having a functional and advantageous lateral input region.
An aspect of the present invention is to provide a new set of input elements on a computer keyboard designed to complement an separate pointing device such as a computer mouse. These input elements enable both the dominant and non-dominant hand to work easily together to perform various functions, which in turn, increases user efficiency when performing xe2x80x9cconsumptionxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9ccompositionxe2x80x9d tasks.
Further aspects of the invention provide a keyboard having an alphanumeric section, and an input region disposed laterally from the alphanumeric section. The input region has a rotatable member or other scrolling device and an input element for providing a Forward or a Back command when activated.
Other aspects of the invention provide a keyboard having an alphanumeric section, and an input region disposed laterally from the alphanumeric section. The input region has a rotatable member or other scrolling device. The input region also has a Cut key, a Copy key, and a Paste key.
In other aspects of the invention, a keyboard includes an application switching device configured to provide a command, when actuated, to move between open applications or windows. The application switching device is (a) independently-actuable, (b) provided with indicia indicating its function, (c) dedicated as an application switching device, and/or (d) spaced from an alphanumeric section of the keyboard.
In yet other aspects of the invention, a keyboard includes a rotatable member. The rotatable member has an asymmetric outer profile and/or is frustum-shaped.
Further objects, features and other aspects of this invention will be understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of this invention with reference to the attached drawing figures.